RAF strikes targets near Tripoli and Sirte

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

RAF Tornado GR4s struck a military facility located on the southern outskirts of Tripoli yesterday morning, as UK Armed Forces continue to contribute to NATO's patrols over Libya to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973.

And yesterday evening RAF aircraft successfully destroyed three Scud ballistic missile support vehicles near Sirte, from where recent firings have been attempted by the former regime against the city of Misurata.

As events in Tripoli continue to unfold, with reports of fighting continuing, as well as members of Libya’s National Transitional Council beginning to move into the city, it has been announced that an international conference chaired by the UK’s Prime Minister and the French President will be held in Paris next week.

The meeting’s aims will be to help the National Transitional Council on the path to establishing a free, democratic and inclusive Libya.

Speaking on Monday, David Cameron said the transition to a free and democratic Libya should be a Libyan-led and Libyan-owned process, adding:

Our task now is to do all we can to support the will of the Libyan people which is for an effective transition to a free, democratic and inclusive Libya.

The Prime Minister also said that the Government would establish a ‘diplomatic presence’ in Tripoli as soon as it was safe to do so and said the UK could be proud of its role in helping the uprising against Gaddafi.

The wider NATO mission in Libya to protect civilians will continue as long as it is needed and Mr Cameron said the focus was now on the urgent work that needs to be done on providing medical and humanitarian aid, diplomatic support, and through the UN Security Council.

UK missions over Libya are undertaken as part of NATO’s Operation UNIFIED PROTECTOR to enforce UNSCR 1973 and protect Libyan civilians at risk of attack.